Hi,

I've been searching in vain for a largish towel rail/radiator designed
in such a way that three towels (there are three of us in the house) can
all hang over it and all have some hope of drying out. Since I can't
find such a thing, I've come up with the idea of instead fitting three
identical bog standard smallish towel radiators next to each other along
the wall. The new layout puts all the fixtures (basin, toilet, etc)
along one wall for easy plumbing, so the other wall was looking quite
empty and will have plenty of room for this.

My intention was to plumb the rads in series, with valves only at the
ends, treating them in effect as one big rad. Between them, I had in
mind flexible chromed-mesh-sheathed tails like the ones sometimes used
to connect taps, assuming one can get ones that a) are suitable for CH
temperatures b) don't dissolve in CH inhibitor and c) have or can be
adapted to the threads commonly used on radiators. Chrome-finished solid
fittings would probably look better, though, if such things are available.

Anyone see any problems with this, or have any better ideas?

The towel radiators I'm looking at each have about a third the power
output of the currently-fitted conventional radiator. The room is mostly
OK, occasionally a little nippy but I'll be fitting some light electric
underfloor heating (mostly to help evaporate dampness from the floor) so
I'm happy with the thermal side of the design.

Cheers,

Pete

Pete Verdon wrote:

Between them, I had in mind flexible chromed-mesh-sheathed tails like
the ones sometimes used to connect taps
[...]
Chrome-finished solid fittings would probably look better, though, if
such things are available.

Actually, scratch this bit. Of course you can get chrome-plated tube and
compression fittings just like copper. D'oh.

Pete

Pete Verdon wrote:
Hi,

I've been searching in vain for a largish towel rail/radiator designed
in such a way that three towels (there are three of us in the house) can
all hang over it and all have some hope of drying out. Since I can't
find such a thing, I've come up with the idea of instead fitting three
identical bog standard smallish towel radiators next to each other along
the wall. The new layout puts all the fixtures (basin, toilet, etc)
along one wall for easy plumbing, so the other wall was looking quite
empty and will have plenty of room for this.

My intention was to plumb the rads in series, with valves only at the
ends, treating them in effect as one big rad. Between them, I had in
mind flexible chromed-mesh-sheathed tails like the ones sometimes used
to connect taps, assuming one can get ones that a) are suitable for CH
temperatures b) don't dissolve in CH inhibitor and c) have or can be
adapted to the threads commonly used on radiators. Chrome-finished solid
fittings would probably look better, though, if such things are available.

Anyone see any problems with this, or have any better ideas?

The towel radiators I'm looking at each have about a third the power
output of the currently-fitted conventional radiator. The room is mostly
OK, occasionally a little nippy but I'll be fitting some light electric
underfloor heating (mostly to help evaporate dampness from the floor) so
I'm happy with the thermal side of the design.

Cheers,

Pete


Think I'd be more tempted to make my own. You get exactly the size/
layout/design you want, and its far cheaper too.

Or how about some inspiration....
http://www.designboom.com/contest/wi...?contest_pk=14


NT

On Jan 28, 12:54*am, Pete Verdon
d wrote:
Hi,

I've been searching in vain for a largish towel rail/radiator designed
in such a way that three towels (there are three of us in the house) can
all hang over it and all have some hope of drying out. Since I can't
find such a thing, I've come up with the idea of instead fitting three
identical bog standard smallish towel radiators next to each other along
the wall. *The new layout puts all the fixtures (basin, toilet, etc)
along one wall for easy plumbing, so the other wall was looking quite
empty and will have plenty of room for this.

My intention was to plumb the rads in series, with valves only at the
ends, treating them in effect as one big rad. Between them, I had in
mind flexible chromed-mesh-sheathed tails like the ones sometimes used
to connect taps, assuming one can get ones that a) are suitable for CH
temperatures b) don't dissolve in CH inhibitor and c) have or can be
adapted to the threads commonly used on radiators. Chrome-finished solid
fittings would probably look better, though, if such things are available..

Anyone see any problems with this, or have any better ideas?

The towel radiators I'm looking at each have about a third the power
output of the currently-fitted conventional radiator. The room is mostly
OK, occasionally a little nippy but I'll be fitting some light electric
underfloor heating (mostly to help evaporate dampness from the floor) so
I'm happy with the thermal side of the design.

Cheers,

Pete

Would http://www.sussexrange.co.uk/product...=N&ProdNo=1000
be wide enough? Gives over 3feet of towel hanging width.

A

"Pete Verdon" d
wrote in message ...
Hi,

I've been searching in vain for a largish towel rail/radiator
designed
in such a way that three towels (there are three of us in the house)
can
all hang over it and all have some hope of drying out. Since I can't
find such a thing, I've come up with the idea of instead fitting
three
identical bog standard smallish towel radiators next to each other
along
the wall. The new layout puts all the fixtures (basin, toilet, etc)
along one wall for easy plumbing, so the other wall was looking
quite
empty and will have plenty of room for this.

My intention was to plumb the rads in series, with valves only at
the
ends, treating them in effect as one big rad. Between them, I had in
mind flexible chromed-mesh-sheathed tails like the ones sometimes
used
to connect taps, assuming one can get ones that a) are suitable for
CH
temperatures b) don't dissolve in CH inhibitor and c) have or can be
adapted to the threads commonly used on radiators. Chrome-finished
solid
fittings would probably look better, though, if such things are
available.

Anyone see any problems with this, or have any better ideas?

The towel radiators I'm looking at each have about a third the power
output of the currently-fitted conventional radiator. The room is
mostly
OK, occasionally a little nippy but I'll be fitting some light
electric
underfloor heating (mostly to help evaporate dampness from the
floor) so
I'm happy with the thermal side of the design.

Cheers,

Pete

In my last house I needed six towel rails all in odd sizes, so I made
my own using 22mm pipe and end feed fittings, carefully painted white.
I'd expected the paint to not last long, but infact it did for years.

AWEM

On Wed, 28 Jan 2009 00:54:19 +0000, Pete Verdon wrote:

Hi,

I've been searching in vain for a largish towel rail/radiator designed
in such a way that three towels (there are three of us in the house) can
all hang over it and all have some hope of drying out. Since I can't
find such a thing, I've come up with the idea of instead fitting three
identical bog standard smallish towel radiators next to each other along
the wall. The new layout puts all the fixtures (basin, toilet, etc)
along one wall for easy plumbing, so the other wall was looking quite
empty and will have plenty of room for this.

My intention was to plumb the rads in series, with valves only at the
ends, treating them in effect as one big rad. Between them, I had in
mind flexible chromed-mesh-sheathed tails like the ones sometimes used
to connect taps, assuming one can get ones that a) are suitable for CH
temperatures b) don't dissolve in CH inhibitor and c) have or can be
adapted to the threads commonly used on radiators. Chrome-finished solid
fittings would probably look better, though, if such things are available.

Anyone see any problems with this, or have any better ideas?

The towel radiators I'm looking at each have about a third the power
output of the currently-fitted conventional radiator. The room is mostly
OK, occasionally a little nippy but I'll be fitting some light electric
underfloor heating (mostly to help evaporate dampness from the floor) so
I'm happy with the thermal side of the design.

Cheers,

Pete

It works well. I did this in a GF's house where we needed a long, curved
rad.; it was expensive and on about 6 weeks' lead-time. I fitted 3 short
rads. with the plumbing that you've suggested and the only difference
between those and another long rad. was that the first one tended to heat
up to some extent before the second one started, but in fact the overall
times were about the same.
--
Peter.
You don't understand Newton's Third Law of Motion?
It's not rocket science, you know.

Pete Verdon wrote:

Hi,

I've been searching in vain for a largish towel rail/radiator
designed in such a way that three towels

My intention was to plumb the rads in series, with valves only at the
ends, treating them in effect as one big rad.

Anyone see any problems with this, or have any better ideas?

I've done exactly that with two normal rads in my lounge. Low windows
meant I couldn't fit a large enough single rad, so I connected two low
ones in series. Works fine.

--
Preston.

PeterC wrote:
SNIP

It works well. I did this in a GF's house where we needed a long,
curved rad.; it was expensive and on about 6 weeks' lead-time. I
fitted 3 short rads. with the plumbing that you've suggested and the
only difference between those and another long rad. was that the
first one tended to heat up to some extent before the second one
started, but in fact the overall times were about the same.

I would have thought they would be a pig to bleed & attract air locks. Is
that not the case?


--
Dave - The Medway Handyman
www.medwayhandyman.co.uk

On Thu, 29 Jan 2009 09:50:15 GMT, The Medway Handyman wrote:

PeterC wrote:
SNIP

It works well. I did this in a GF's house where we needed a long,
curved rad.; it was expensive and on about 6 weeks' lead-time. I
fitted 3 short rads. with the plumbing that you've suggested and the
only difference between those and another long rad. was that the
first one tended to heat up to some extent before the second one
started, but in fact the overall times were about the same.

I would have thought they would be a pig to bleed & attract air locks. Is
that not the case?

No, just do each one - although most air will go in to the first one. Also
the air in 1 small rad. is easier to get out than the same amount in a long
rad.
--
Peter.
You don't understand Newton's Third Law of Motion?
It's not rocket science, you know.

On Thu, 29 Jan 2009 09:50:15 +0000, The Medway Handyman wrote:

PeterC wrote:
SNIP

It works well. I did this in a GF's house where we needed a long,
curved rad.; it was expensive and on about 6 weeks' lead-time. I fitted
3 short rads. with the plumbing that you've suggested and the only
difference between those and another long rad. was that the first one
tended to heat up to some extent before the second one started, but in
fact the overall times were about the same.

I would have thought they would be a pig to bleed & attract air locks.
Is that not the case?

Not in my experience. There are a maximum of two bleed points the middle
(radiators) have no problem losing air to the end ones.


--
Ed Sirett - Property maintainer and registered gas fitter.
The FAQ for uk.diy is at http://www.diyfaq.org.uk
Gas fitting FAQ http://www.makewrite.demon.co.uk/GasFitting.html
Sealed CH FAQ http://www.makewrite.demon.co.uk/SealedCH.html
Choosing a Boiler FAQ http://www.makewrite.demon.co.uk/BoilerChoice.html

wrote:
Pete Verdon wrote:

I've been searching in vain for a largish towel rail/radiator designed
in such a way that three towels (there are three of us in the house) can
all hang over it and all have some hope of drying out. Since I can't
find such a thing, I've come up with the idea of instead fitting three
identical bog standard smallish towel radiators next to each other

Think I'd be more tempted to make my own. You get exactly the size/
layout/design you want, and its far cheaper too.

OK... what process did you have in mind for building my own radiator? I
can bodge about a bit with a stick welder, but I think that fabricating
a chrome-plated radiator that doesn't look like a collapsing bundle of
old pipes is several steps beyond me.

Pete